Two professors will be pied in the face in an effort to help save lives in Panama.
The spectacle will take place Friday and is hosted by Engineers Without Borders, an organization on campus that uses engineering principles to aid developing countries. Students were able to vote for which of the nine participating professors they wanted to see pied at a $1-per-vote rate. All of the money raised during the event will go towards the construction of a health center in Boca de Cuiria, Panama.
“We are trying to raise money to design and build a medical clinic there, and in the future we hope to build a bridge and a school,” said Steven Thompson, the external relations officer for EWB and mechanical engineering senior.
The voting closed Monday at midnight, and the top two professors who received the most donations in their name now face imminent pieing —  associate professors of civil engineering Kelly Brumbelow and Gene Hawkins.
Hawkins, who garnered the highest amount, said he didn’t expect to be one of the selected professors when he agreed to participate.
“I was asked by a student if I would be willing to participate,” Hawkins said. “He described the purpose of the event and, since EWB is a worthwhile organization that conducts useful activities, I agreed.”
EWB is officially under the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, but professors were nominated from many engineering disciplines.
“We knew we wanted to aim for engineering students,” Smith said. “We talked to our members and asked who they would want to see pies thrown at and that’s how we came up with the list.”
Building a health clinic in a foreign country is quite an undertaking. A complete design plan, materials and construction run the cost up quickly.
“We are planning on a waiting room in the front, then a nurse’s station behind a desk, one examination room, a supply closet and then bathrooms,” said Kaitlin Smith, fundraising director for EWB.
Another factor that makes these projects more challenging is American building codes must be satisfied, even outside of the United States. For these reasons, the cost of the project is expected to be around $30,000 at a minimum.
The event will take place at the Emerging Technologies Building  courtyard at 2:50 p.m. Friday. It will also be live streamed on www.ewbtamu.org.